Sparks flew as Justin Atkinson of the Clay County Parks and Recreation Department used a steel-cutting saw to take apart the base of a worn-out teeter-totter being replaced at Island Forest Park on Fleming Island.

FLEMING ISLAND - The shriek of a steel-cutting saw blade biting into a rusty teeter-totter frame amid a shower of red-orange sparks was a poor substitute last week for the laughter of children who otherwise would be frolicking on the playground at Island Forest Park.

Several neighbors said the 2.8-acre park on Fleming Island with its typically well-groomed playground, picnic tables, pavilion and basketball court is popular with local children. But the park was empty on Wednesday morning except for Clay County Parks and Recreation workers dismantling the worn-out teeter-totter before replacing it with a modern springboard version.

An estimated 8,000 children and adults use Clay’s parks and recreation facilities including baseball, softball, football and lacrosse fields, its recreational trail year-round.

Maintaining those facilities has gotten tougher over the years, said Karen Thomas, county director of administrative and contractual services, which includes the Parks and Recreation Department.

The 10-person department maintains 20 neighborhood parks, 11 community parks and three regional parks and is responsible for nine public boat ramps. The department oversees the operation of the Clay County Fairgrounds. It manages Camp Chowenwaw Park, it helps maintain the trail system along U.S. 17 and throughout the Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area.

Because of the economy, the department has eliminated nine positions since 2008-09. Meanwhile, the number of recreation facilities has increased, Thomas said.

It’s a struggle to keep up, especially now with all the mowing and other maintenance such as repairing or replacing playground equipment, installing fencing, replacing light poles and bringing the facilities into compliance with federal Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, she said.

The county’s aging parks and recreation facilities demand more and more repairs as well as routine maintenance work. A lot of fencing repairs also are needed at various parks and ball fields, Thomas told the County Commission’s Budget, Finance and Human Services Committee last week.

The county can’t keep postponing the work, County Manager Stephanie Kopelousos told the committee.

“At some point you have to fish or cut bait. … Quite frankly, it’s a safety issue at this point,” Kopelousos said. “It’s not like we’re asking for something new or different at these parks. It’s the basic upkeep.”

The department is asking for a $299,817 increase in its operating budget for 2013-14. The increase would pay for repairs, maintenance and other operating costs. Those expenses include $54,200 in playground repairs, $15,160 to bring them into ADA compliance and $182,400 for fencing repairs, Thomas said.

The department is also asking for a $34,656 increase to offset personnel costs, mainly retirement benefits. Meanwhile, the department reduced its budget for major equipment by $6,145, she said.

That means the department’s total budget would be nearly $1.9 million in 2013-14, which is a $328,328 increase from this year.

Kopelousos said local athletic associations have helped pay for some ball field repairs and upgrades. Thomas said they are looking at the possibility of charging user fees at the fairgrounds to help offset the cost of upkeep.

More needs to be done, County Commissioner Ronnie Robinson said. He said the county should call on the athletic associations for more help.

“I think we need some free time, maybe even from the kids,” said Robinson, adding if those who use the parks take home their trash, the county would save money on garbage collection at the facilities.

The committee didn’t make a recommendation. Kopelousos must submit a proposed county budget by July 15 to the county commission.